[Abstract Title]. - Society for Neuroscience

Research Foundation (JDRF), C. Other Research Support (receipt of drugs, supplies, equipment
or other in-kind support); A. Emanuel, None; B. Hudson, None.
Poster
284. Regulation of Food Intake and Body Weight: Integration of Peripheral Signals:
Systems
Time: Sunday, November 16, 2008, 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Program#/Poster#: 284.14/QQ9
Topic: E.07.b. Integration of peripheral signals: Systems
Support: AHA053298N
NARSAD
P/F DK020572-30
Title: Leptin receptor neurons in the dorsomedial hypothalamus as important regulator of
preautonomic and neuroendocrine function in the paraventricular nucleus
Authors: M. FAOUZI 1 , I. KERMAN 1 , G. LOUIS 1 , R. LESHAN 1 , G. M. LEINNINGER 1 , J. C.
JONES 1 , S. J. WATSON 1 , C. J. RHODES 2 , *H. MUNZBERG 1 ;
1 Univ. Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI; 2 Univ. of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Abstract: Leptin acts in the central nervous system (CNS) to coordinate metabolism and energy
balance. Deficiency of leptin or its receptor (LepRb) results in profound neuroendocrine failure,
autonomic dysfunction, and hyperphagia. While leptin action via well-studied POMC- and
AgRP/NPY-expressing LepRb neurons in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus (ARC)
contributes importantly to overall leptin action, it has become clear that these neurons can only
account for a fraction of leptin action, and that leptin acts via a distributed network of LepRb
neurons in the CNS. The dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH) integrates information about energy
balance, body temperature, and neuroendocrine status to modulate autonomic nervous system
(ANS) function as well as stress and ingestion. Importantly, the DMH contains a major
population of LepRb neurons. In order to study the role of DMH/LepRb neurons in leptin action,
we stereotaxically injected cre-inducible adenoviral tract-tracers in LepRb Cre mice to investigate
their projections and terminal fields. This analysis demonstrated dense projections to the
parvocellular paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and median preoptic area (mPOA) as well as
reciprocal projections to the ARC. The reciprocal interconnection of the DMH/LepRb and
ARC/LepRb systems suggests that these cell groups function as a unit to coordinate leptin action.
The mPOA also contains a dense population of LepRb neurons and is known to interconnect